Several of 26 horses seized from a Mount Vernon pasture earlier this month struggle with declining health as their owners petition for their return, arguing their condition is not immediately life-threatening.

Snohomish County residents William and Sara Spohnholtz, represented by Redmond-based attorney James McBride, filed their petition in Skagit County District Court last week.

The horses were taken May 1 and 2 from a location in the 14600 block of Beaver Lake Road between Clear Lake and Big Lake as part of a search warrant served by the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office.

They were taken to People Helping Horses, an Arlington-based rehabilitation center.

However, McBride argues in the petition that the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office could have seized the horses without a warrant if their condition was as bad as the agency alleges.

Emily Diaz, animal-control officer for the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, said she can remove animals from a property without a warrant if animals are not expected to live for more than 24 hours, but “it’s always good to remove with a search warrant.”